Bath Day

Yet another warm day. Dad came at 10.30 and tacked me up in my hanging cheek snaffle with my dressage saddle. Other Dad put Dibby out and Dad took me in the school .We practiced in walk and did some quite poor work in trot with the upwards transitions to canter sometimes on the wrong leg and sluggish - which does not bode well for the tests at Solihull next Sunday. We practised the CRC Beginners test and Prelim 1 in a pretty undistinguished way. After running through it a few times, we finished more positively attempting Prelim 1 respectably once and did some loosening on a long rein in walk and trot.

Tomorrow we are due to be clipped by Claire and may have the rest of the day off, but I know Dad would like to practice these tests in a snaffle some more. The Swallowfield competitions at Solihull are all open and so we find it hard against strong pothunting competition at the best of times - let alone with me above the bit, doing incorrect transitions on the wrong leg and being disobedient. Still, we'll just keep plugging away.

When we went in Dad hosed me off and gave me a shampoo - including my tail - so I was nice and clean and cool. I felt better for this and went out to graze without my fly rug to dry off. Dad attended to the stables and came back to put the beds down and bring us in after 4.00.

Once inside we watched Dad put our beds down whilst Other Dad picked out our feet and groomed us. Dad applied eucalyptus oil to our hooves and gave us our tea.

When I'm tied up outside my stable I sometimes eat some haylage, but often just lower my head and rest. I remember at Little Manor when Adelle first saw this she was so concerned that I was unwell she insisted on calling the vet - who came and found nothing wrong. Sometimes I just relax and am not ashamed to show it. Even cobs don't have to take the trouble to look magnificent all the time